


liquid gold

by anons



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, Solo Artist Jaemin, The Infamous Inkigayo Sandwiches, They're In Different Groups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 05:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17574866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anons/pseuds/anons
Summary: [+9297, -263] it's a strange combination... but still very fitting and cute somehow?





	liquid gold

**Author's Note:**

> not proofread lmao yeet !

[+8723, -275]  _heol, how did this trio even come to be?_

Basically, Inkigayo spearheaded it all.

Somebody had thought it'd be nice to put them all together after that short MC-ing gig for the two-day Busan music festival episode. Cute chemistry, people had raved. A pretty boy next to a pretty boy next to a pretty boy. It really was only supposed to be a one time thing but apparently for SM, the netizens are Messiah. And they were in need of a fresh combination for the next station song. So, of course.

“Hey, it’s nice seeing you again,” Jaemin smiles with his manager leisurely towing behind. He teases, “Didn’t know you liked us enough to invite us for a song.”

“Was the company’s decision,” Jeno hums, playing along, “but okay.”

“And I’m sure the company made that decision because they saw how much you liked us,” Jaemin says breezily as he looks around. “Where’s Renjun?”

“Here,” comes Renjun’s voice from the balcony, and he glides through the threshold with a sigh. “Sorry, had to take a call.”

“Aw, our dear Dream leader,” Jaemin coos. “How do you manage taking care of 6 kids?”

Renjun rubs his face tiredly. “Ask Taeyong-hyung, he has fourteen.”

“He has done a lot for the kpop industry,” Jeno says somberly. Jaemin’s face cascades to a bright laugh.

A strange combination, the three of them. Renjun, the nation’s little brothers’—DREAM’s—leader and resident Chinese member; Jaemin, child-star extraordinaire turned famous solo artist; and of course, Jeno, one fourth of SM’s newest rising stars, a new netizen sweetheart. Nothing in common at all except being in the same wretched industry. It’s as if someone had thrown random idol names into a fish bowl and came to a decision through draw-lots. Pointed at random stars in the night sky.

“So, this song, how do we do this?” Jaemin asks, as relaxed as ever, carrying fourteen years of experience on his back. One of the producers play the beginning notes of the song, and it begins from there.

 

[+5627, -1001]  _they never even seemed to acknowledge each other’s presence in the past though?_

“Careful there,” Yeri says, scooping cabbages and Caesar salad dressings from the salad bar.

Jeno pauses from eating his sandwich. Then, he looks around to see who Yeri’s talking to and sees no one in the two-meter vicinity but him. Hopefully there are no cameras around. “Me?” he points to himself.

Yeri laughs. “Yeah, you.”

“What’s there to be careful about?”

“The legend of Inkigayo sandwiches, have you heard of it?” Yeri asks. When Jeno shakes his head confusedly, her eyes twinkle and he can’t pinpoint whether it’s from mischief or the glittery stripe under her eyes. “Well basically, if an idol likes another idol, they’ll slip a piece of paper with their number into the other person’s sandwich,” Yeri says, now picking grapes off the bar. “So you really shouldn’t be devouring all that in one go. With your face I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a paper or two in there.”

For a split second Jeno almost thinks she’s flirting with him but she doesn’t look interested and really, why would she when she’s All That and he’s Just Him?

Jeno wipes bread crumbs off the corner of his lips. Asks with genuine confusion, “Who’d want to slip their number in my sandwich?”

At that, she gives him the sweetest, slyest smile. “Can’t talk, my mouth’s full.” And then she pops a cherry into her mouth and disappears back into the hallway with a skip in her step and her eyeshadow glittering under the light.

 

[+7021, -371]  _at 0:14 Jeno stuttered at first but Jaemin and Renjun immediately helped him TT_

The yelling of the crowd outside prickles into Jeno’s ears like a thousand needles. He isn’t quite sure he’ll ever get used to it but the thundering on his ribs, he lets it be. In the words of Mark, they’re feelings and you should let it do its job.

“This your first big crowd?” someone asks, suddenly siddling up beside him. It’s Renjun, fixing his Moomin-customized ear piece. Its white balances his red sweater and Jeno can’t help but offhandedly observe that he looks good. It’s the first time they’ve ever talked.

“Not really,” Jeno says, then once again trains his gaze to the curtains showing a sliver of the lime green crowd.

Renjun hums. “Then what are you nervous about?”

Jeno shrugs. “It’s my first time MC-ing, so...” he says, “It’s fine though. Just the typical pre-performance jitters.”

“Don’t worry. You’re gonna do great.” Renjun smiles, and once again Jeno is taken aback. “I’m sure of it.”

As Jeno opens his mouth to respond, another figure comes into the picture. Ever trailed by his youthful-looking manager Jaehyun whose face has graced trending articles more than once. “Now I get it,” Jaemin says as greeting, scanning them both up and down, “We’re the Powerpuff Girls!”

Renjun apparently can’t help but burst into laughter. At that, Jaemin’s face breaks into a thousand-watt smile. “Nice meeting you both like this,” Jaemin says, “Jeno and Renjun right? My manager blasts both your group’s songs all the time so I know about you guys.”

Jaehyun’s eyebrows and the corner of his lips rise up. Amused. “Do I, now?”

“Yes, you do.” Jaemin smiles at him, and it almost looks murderous. Jeno’s heard of him, of the boy bigger than his company with the whole nation witnessing his childhood. And Jeno’s heard of Renjun too, the poster-child of a hard-working idol from a big company. Jaemin’s everything what Renjun isn’t. Together, they make up two sides of the industry. Jeno wonders where he fits in that spectrum.

“Anyway!” Jaemin says after a stare-down with his manager. “The PR-noonas want us to take a picture for the fans. Jaehyun-hyung, would you mind doing us the pleasure?”

 

[+10279, -663]  _the MV!! look at the way jaemin smiles at the both of them!_

Renjun’s singing a song under his breath, and it’s so familiar but Jeno can’t pinpoint what it is.

“Wait a second,” Jaemin says, sitting up from the prop couch. The rest of the staff are still setting up the set. “Is that Heaven by EXO?”

Renjun jolts. “You never told me you liked EXO!”

“Duuuude,” Jaemin says, “I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like EXO. Why are you surprised?”

“Yeah, I know but I had no idea you liked them that way,” Renjun says, then proceeds to sing again, his hair gleaming golden under the light. His voice reverberating in the room. _Hello angel, you’re like a painting._ “The best song in the EX’ACT album,” Renjun adds wistfully after.

Jaemin raises an eyebrow. “Uh, Artificial Love says hello?”

When Renjun opens his mouth to retaliate, Jeno finally speaks from his spot. The make-up artist pats on the last touch of foundation on his face and then leaves. “Lucky One deserved better,” he announces.

Jaemin looks at him, surprised, and then shakes his head laughing. First day of shooting and things have already become interesting. “Oh man, I finally found my people,” Jaemin says, grinning, “I’m definitely making a group chat with you both and we can debate about the best songs there. Injun-ah, what did you say your Kakao ID was?”

 

[+15274, -524]  _their voices altogether is like actual liquid gold_

One of the producers leans in to the microphone. “Again.”

Jeno watches Renjun’s face further wilt through the glass. His Adam’s Apple bob up and down. They’ve been recording for 4 straight hours non-stop, and Jeno’s pretty sure it’s already half past 9. Renjun hasn’t even eaten dinner yet.

Renjun opens his mouth once more, does the same riff over and over again. It’s been like this for hours now and Jaemin’s quiet, too quiet beside him. Jeno can see the concern in his face though, and he completely understands why.

When the producer sighs again as Renjun finishes, Jaemin finally speaks up.

“Is there any particular way you want it sung?” he inquires carefully, politely.

“The same way as the demo,” the producer says. “He already knows what to do.”

“Maybe... he needs to take a break?” Jeno quips meekly at the side. Renjun can’t hear them through the glass but they make eye contact anyway. He looks tired and frustrated. “Jaemin and I can do our parts first as Renjun eats dinner and takes a quick rest.”

“No, that’s fine,” the producer sighs after a beat. “You’re right. You boys take a break first. We’ll resume in an hour.” She tells Renjun this before making her exit, headphones hanging from the chair. Renjun takes off his, and when he finally leaves the booth he collapses face first on the couch. The pillows muffle his grunting noises.

“You okay?” Jaemin asks, fingers coming up to absently massage Renjun’s nape. Renjun doesn’t complain, doesn’t answer either. Just continues zombie-groaning against the fabric.

“There’s take-out for dinner,” Jeno says, looking at Renjun’s almost-dead figure. “Jjajangmyeon and chicken. Want me to get you some?”

Renjun tilts his head sidewards. Croaks out, “Please.”

Jaemin continues his ministrations as Jeno grabs a take-out box for Renjun. The conditioned air’s a cold blanket around them, and he glances at Renjun’s paper-thin shirt. When he shuffles back to hand Renjun dinner, he takes off his jacket as well.

“It might affect your singing condition or something,” Jeno says when Renjun gives the jacket nothing but a blank look. He feels scathed so he looks away.

“Jeno’s thick-skinned anyway, he won’t need the jacket,” Jaemin adds (un)helpfully beside him. Jeno debates whether to give him a dirty or a grateful look. He settles between a strange, constipated-looking compromise between the two.

At their antics, Renjun finally laughs. A full-on complete smile that’s been absent the rest of the day. For some weird reason and a sudden moment of synchronicity, he and Jaemin share a look at that.  

They both look quickly away.

“You have a very nice voice, by the way,” Jaemin suddenly says to Renjun. “It’s much nicer raw and heard in person.”

Renjun’s face drops. “Then why can’t I seem to do the part right?”

“You’re just tired,” Jeno reassures. “Strained. Maybe dinner and some water’s what you need. You’ll ace the part after this, I’m sure.”

Renjun looks up at them. His fringe’s a window to his smiling albeit tired eyes. “Yeah?”

Jaemin answers for Jeno. He smiles. “Yeah.”

 

[+9297, -263]  _it’s a strange combination... but still very fitting and cute somehow?_

“Jaemin’s paying,” Renjun announces, dusting crumbs off his fingers. It trickles onto the fancy table cloth.

Jaemin pauses mid-bite. “Wait, what?”

Jeno laughs, watching droplets condensate off his milk tea. The tall, velvet cushions of the booth safeguard their presence from the public. Meters away, Jaehyun and one of Jeno’s managers are seated in another booth. “Why am I paying?” Jaemin demands.

“Because Renjun already paid the last time,” Jeno says.

Jaemin makes a face. “What about you?”

“He can pay next time,” Renjun says, and Jeno holds onto that. Next time. “Besides, didn’t you mention once that you’d buy us a meal if we got #1 in the charts without promotion?”

Jeno blinks. “Did we get—“

Renjun grins, then proceeds to whip out his phone. “Manager-hyung just texted me, yeah,” he says, and Jeno and Jaemin both strain to read. Jeno feels elation skip off his chest at the article title. “Hyung extends his congrats to you both.”

“Oh wow,” Jaemin breathes, leaning back, smiling. Even with the whole nation backing him up, he’s still as humble as ever. Jeno admires his genuine gratefulness to everything. “Hell yeah I’m buying this meal. Where’s the check?”

Jeno laughs, handing it to him. As Jaemin scans through it, Renjun stretches and hums happily. The edges of their toes under the table touch. “Their sandwiches are so good I’m itching to take one home,” he sighs, “I wish the Inkigayo sandwiches were this good.”

Suddenly, Jaemin freezes beside them. “Have you heard about the thing with those sandwiches? The ones with phone numbers in it?” Jeno asks, casting a quick, concerned glance to the paling Jaemin and then back to Renjun. “Yeri-noona told me about it once.”

“Yeri... told you about it?” Jaemin asks slowly.

Jeno side-eyes him. “She did, yeah.”

“Did she say anything else?”

“Just that she knew someone who wanted to slip their number into my sandwich.” Jeno shrugs. “I don’t know, she was probably just playing with me or something.”

Renjun’s face lights up. “Oh hey, Jaemin, aren’t you friends with Yeri-noona or something? Close, even?”

Jaemin looks at them and then immediately back down. “Oh no, no,” he says, almost dropping the check in his haste to stand up. “I have never even talked to her at all.”

 

[+10074, -987]  _inkigayo is doing God’s work by finally making the three regular MCs_

“You have a little something...” Renjun starts, leaning in to reach Jeno’s hair, too close, “...there.”

Jeno swallows as Renjun dusts it off.“Oh, uh, thanks.”

Jaemin has his thumbs pressed to a newly-released game on his phone. Renjun resumes reading off the cue cards and practicing. The waiting room’s busy with the cordi-noona’s lightning steps and idols zooming in and out of dressing rooms.

“Jaemin-ah!”

When Jeno looks, it’s Yeri. Looking as ethereal as always, her cherry red lips the accent of her whole outfit this time. “Good luck later,” she grins, and it widens even more when her gaze trails to both Jeno and Renjun. “I mean it’s natural to feel nervous around these two but—“

“Alright! Thanks, noona. I really needed that good luck from you!” Jaemin says, cutting her off a little bit too loudly.

Jeno catches Renjun’s eyes. _They’re friends now??_  Renjun mouths. His gaze trails to Jaemin making strange motions and starting a stare-down with an amused Yeri, then back to Renjun.

He just shrugs.

 

[+8729, -2904]  _random comment but jaemin seems like the type to slip his number into an inkigayo sandwich..._

Jeno clasps the anonymously-given sandwich on his hand, shuffles through a maze of hallways. Donghyuck’s somewhere in the canteen, he’s pretty sure. Mark reckons he always finds him there, complaining about the stale food but eating most of the servings nevertheless.

When he enters, he expects to see the same familiar scene. Not this: a green-haired boy choking on his sandwich. Jeno frowns. Another boy, probably the only member he recognizes from the group, rushes to help in panic. Renjun—the boy’s name—hands the green-haired boy a water bottle. It empties in not less than a second.

“Jesus, hyung, what was in that sandwich?” Green hair rasps after, face still purple. Looking like he’d just vomited a pail-full of slugs. The water bottle crumples under his tight grip.

Another taller boy quips, “It’s probably your karma for eating Renjun-hyung’s sand—oh wait, it does look weird. The mayonnaise? Looks all white and paper-y...”

Jeno blinks at them and then looks away. He still has a member to look for and a comeback stage to perform. The Inkigayo sandwich on his left hand feels heavy and from the scene, he has lost all his appetite. Maybe he could give Donghyuck the sandwich. And maybe he could bribe Donghyuck into cooking them all lunch to bring on music shows. His mom’s right, foods from canteens are real weird. Maybe it’s time he starts appreciating homemade food more...

[+8729, -2904]  _This comment has been deleted by the moderator._

**Author's Note:**

> crawling out of my grave for my favorite boys. also, say hello:
> 
> tumblr: lunarsmilk  
> 


End file.
